THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



Trees which have been allowed to grow two main leaders, 



and are beginning 

 to split at the 

 fork, should be at- 

 tended to at once 

 and bolts with large 

 nuts or washers put 

 through and the 

 crack drawn close 

 together, when in 

 a few years the 

 wound will be 

 healed over, cover- 

 ing bolt, -head and 

 all. Fig. 21 shows 

 the result that 

 will come to trees 

 with forked main 

 branches. 



FIG. 21 Forked Branch of Tree Broken Down 

 by Ice, Repaired and Supported by Rod. 



Time for Pruning. 



Most trees may be pruned at any time when the leaves 

 are off, but those that flow sap freely the walnuts, 

 maples, birches had better be pruned late in the fall 

 or in the spring after the buds begin to swell. Ever- 

 greens may be pruned at any time without serious 

 injury except when frozen, at which time the wound is 

 rough and broken and does not heal as readily as when 

 pruned in early summer. If pruned late in the summer 

 there will be little healing growth formed before winter 

 and the wound will grow larger by freezing and thawing. 

 All wounds upon deciduous trees should be covered at 

 once with a thick coat of linseed oil paint, shellac, or 

 coal tar. The first is most easily obtained and applied 

 and is as good a preservative as either of the others. A 



